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Thursday, May 15, 2008
20 families evacuated from Sinsin
CEBU CITY –- Continuing rains prompted the Cebu City Government Wednesday to evacuate 20 families living within the two-hectare radius of the landslide area in Barangay Sinsin.
They represent around half of the number of families affected by soil movement in the remote area in the mountain barangay.
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Policemen, Philippine Marines soldiers, barangay tanods, and officials helped in bringing the families to the Barangay Sudlon I sports complex, which is nearer compared to that of Sinsin.
During their session Wednesday, the Cebu City Council set aside a house rule to accommodate City Councilor Gerardo Carillo’s request to appropriate P205,000 as financial assistance to the 41 affected families.
As specified in their council session guidelines, requests for allocation of P50,000 or more should be included in the agenda proper and cannot be tackled during the amendment portion of each session.
City Councilor Edgardo Labella, chairman of the council committee on laws, said that Carillo’s measure was urgent and another day’s delay would jeopardize the safety of the residents.
Invoking the general welfare clause of Republic act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, Acting Mayor Michael Rama issued yesterday an order for the immediate evacuation of 20 families.
Danger
The Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau (MBG) 7 and the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council (CCDCC) recommended the immediate relocation of 41 families from the landslide site in Sinsin because of danger posed by soil movement.
The CDCC has also recommended that the City give P5,000 as financial assistance to each of the affected families.
After lunch Wednesday, 16 of the 20 families were transferred to Sudlon I Sports Complex while four other families chose to stay in the sitio’s chapel and at the Sinsin barangay hall.
Assisted by police, the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Philippine Marines 51st Battalion, the CCDCC and MGB 7 spearheaded the evacuation, using three dump trucks to transport the residents’ belongings.
“They are still uncertain about leaving their homes but they have no choice because we all want to ensure their safety,” Sinsin Barangay Captain Ramon Ylaya told Sun.Star Cebu.
According to Barangay Councilor Felix Cabarrubias, the first landslide occurred at around 10 p.m. last April 19 yet and since then, soil movement has not stopped.
“Bahala na lang ang mga hayop ug balay, importante kami ug ang mga bata naay seguridad (Never mind the animals and the houses we will leave behind. What’s important now is the children’s and our safety),” said Erlinda Cabiles, the first to be evacuated from the landslide area.
Cabiles was with her daughter and granddaughter.
Worried
“Mga noog ra jud among nadala. Nabahala pa ko kay wala kabalo akong bana nga ni-evacuate na diay mi (We only managed to bring a few clothes. I’m even worried because my husband has no idea that we’re being evacuated today),” Avelina Cabiles, 28, said.
Avelina said she worried for her eight-month daughter who has been infected with impetigo for a week already. She fears that the environment at the evacuation center will worsen the condition of her child.
The evacuees have already been provided with relief goods and portable comfort rooms.
“They (evacuees) don’t need to worry because they will be given proper care and support here,” Ylaya assured.
The landslide area was cordoned off last Tuesday yet, and policemen led by Senior Inspector Sara Jane Recla were tasked to patrol the place to keep people off the area.
“Tension cracks have been noted upslope and downslope of the affected area, and the onset of the rainy season further necessitate the evacuation of the affected residents, as rains will further aggravate the unstable condition of the slope,” the MGB said in a report.
MGB 7 geologists also said that rainfall from April 28 to May 1 was “consistently low,” yet it resulted to massive soil movement that threatened homes and led to the collapse of 300 meters of a road section.
“During the rainy period, water could easily seep or percolate into the highly weathered and fractured bedrock. This process would tend to increase pore water pressure and decrease the shear strength of the materials, thus triggering a landslide,” they said.
“People should be prevented from staying around the landslide zone. Warning signs and barricades should be properly installed in the affected zone. The people should be properly and sufficiently informed about the risks of venturing into this zone,” it added. (RHM of Sun.Star Cebu/Rachel O. Capapas, Silliman University Mass Comm Intern)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (May 15, 2008 issue)
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